Rep. Gingrey (R-GA) Blames Soldiers For Walter Reed Squalor: ‘If You Leave Food Around You’ll Get Mice’

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/03/09/gingrey-walter-reed/

Rep. Gingrey Blames Soldiers For Walter Reed Squalor: ‘If You Leave Food Around You’ll Get Mice’

Yesterday at the House Armed Services Committee hearing on veterans care, Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) attempted to stand out from the rest of Congress and argue that the conditions in Building 18 weren’t that bad. Instead of criticizing the cockroach infestation, he said, “I was glad to know that those cockroaches were belly up. It suggested to me that at least someone was spraying for them.”

He also tried to blame the soldiers for the conditions, stating, “And, of course, if you leave food around in a motel room or a dorm room at a college, you’re going to get some mice show up at some point in time.” Watch it at link:

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO GINGREY

Gingrey further blamed the media — specifically the Washington Post — for the fallout, saying he was “shocked” that Army Secretary Francis Harvey and Walter Reed commander Gen. George Weightmann were fired. “sk the Washington Post whose head should roll, I think probably would be…the only satisfaction.” He then added, “et’s try to take some of the politics aside and some of the rhetoric, and try to solve the problem.”


Transcript:

I want to say for the record that, Mr. Chairman, that, um, I have been to Building 18. I have been to Walter Reed on a number of occasions, but specifically in regard to this issue went to take a look first-hand.

Having grown up in a motel, when I was going to medical school and living in one of the rooms, when I saw this old Walter Reed Motor Inn, it really reminded me a lot of, Mr. Chairman, of a, of the motel that my parents had in Augusta, Georgia. It’s not a five-star hotel, make no mistake about it, but it’s not a flophouse. It’s not a dump. It’s not a dive. It needs some work, no question about it. I’m not making excuses, of course. And when I read the Washington Post report I was glad to know that those cockroaches were belly up. It suggested to me that at least someone was spraying for them, Mr. Chairman.

And, of course, if you leave food around in a motel room or a dorm room at a college, you’re going to get some mice show up at some point in time. But there’s no question that there’s a problem. I’ve heard some of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle suggest that specific heads should roll. I don’t know that, ah — I was a little bit shocked, quite honestly, that the Secretary of the Army was relieved of his command and the commander at Walter Reed, General Weightmann was relieved of his command and a change has been made there.

I don’t know what comes next, but I would guess if you ask, since General Schoomaker has had to recuse himself, ask the Washington Post whose head should roll I think it probably would be the Commander-in-Chief, would be the only satisfaction, and that would be President Bush.

But here again, let’s try to take some of the politics aside and some of the rhetoric, and try to solve the problem.

[Kagemusha]

1. Making wounded soldiers responsible for their squalid conditions. Brilliant!

This implies that the soldiers were fully capable of dealing with the problem themselves. Ergo, they must have had the physical health to do so. Ergo, the soldiers weren't wounded in the first place. Ergo, there is no wounded soldier living conditions scandal!

...Or something like that, right?

[LiberalFighter]

38. Why make the soldiers responsible?

Here are some considerations:

How long has Walter Reed Hospital been in existence? Since 1909

How many soldiers have been in and out since its existence? Best answer is it has 5,500 rooms and serves 150,000 active and retirees.


Why should Walter Reed Hospital be any different then regular hospitals? Even if it has deteriorated they should still have maintenace plans in place for pest extermination. (Hey Bugman Tom Delay should have some expertise in this area.)

What do regular hospitals do that Walter Reed Hospital should be doing?

Are they performing surgery in poor conditions that lends itself to infecting the patients?

Why are there food/crumbs laying around? Don't they sweep and mop the floors? Don't they change the bed sheets (with clean sheets I hope) every few days? Don't they disinfect equipment?

Or aren't the soldiers worth the proper care?

[Kagemusha]

39. Was remiss in not putting a sarcasm tag.

I think it's pathetic politicization of a medical scandal.

[robinlynne]

2. I agree. the commander in chief's head should roll. exactly. yes you are beginning

to get our message.

[BOSSHOG]

3. "Set politics aside" now that's rich

Yeah gingrey and its all the Soldier's faults for going to Iraq and getting injured instead of getting killed. If they had been killed you wouldn't be troubled with them. You wouldn't have to attempt to fake that you even care about them. Damn why didn't they just die on the battlefield huh gingrey. You know the talking point, more die in carwrecks.

My hate is rational.

[yellowcanine]

4. Woo hoo! You can't make this shit up. Let's blame the wounded soldiers. Yeah, that's the ticket.

We should take bets on how long before this wanker has to issue an abject apology.

[babylonsister]

5. General KEVIN KILEY said the same thing when the WR story broke.

Remember that name; I'm hoping he will soon be booted out for his insensitiveness. This guy, too. What a bunch of morans!

[az chela]

6. Let Gingry live there ,I am sure they can find a rat infested

corner for him!!!!!

[smtpgirl]

23. az chela, I was thinking the same thing

[smtpgirl]

24. az chela, I was thinking the same thing

[salin]

54. put him in the room with the hole in the ceiling where he

sees the room above him through the hole. But for full effect - he has to be ill (since he isn't battle wounded) - so that as he lies in bed trying to sleep, the mold smell is even more naseating. Oh - and for giggles - he should then be subject, as an ill person (subsituted for wounded) to early morning wakeup and cleanup duty and inspections as reportedly patients were subject to just after the story first broke when at least one commander thought the solution was to make the patients clean and fix the rooms themselves lest more reporters show up.

[bobbolink]

7. I hope he ends up with disastrous wounds, and treated like shit.

That's the only way any of these clowns will "GET IT".

:nuke:

[Monkeyman]

8. When can we kick their butts

Go after these guys on the war and supporting the troops

[JohnLocke]

9. "I was glad to know that those cockroaches were belly up." - screw you, Gingrey

[quiet.american]

10. His remarks are nauseating. n/t

[niyad]

11. may this bastard receive everything he deserves k&r

[madrchsod]

12. just how stupid are the people who voted for him?

this can`t be the first time this thing has said something this despicable

[sobanos]

13. I'd like to say that this is "unbelievable"...............

.......... but, it's actually just another day of GOP scapegoating.

Pretty ordinary.

[wryter2000]

26. Welcome to DU

:hi:

[Joe Chi Minh]

14. I was taught not to mock the afflicted, so I'm not saying anything at all on

the subject of Mr Gingrey, Walter Reed's visiting pest-control professor.

[Cobalt-60]

15. Blame the victim: Standard Republicon Procedure

Not this time.
This isn't a motel, it's a hospital.
In no way can the patients in a hospital be legitimately blamed for the condition of the hospital.
This Repbulicon cur has singled himself out for special treatment.
You know someone crude enough to make this statement has got to be dirty.
That dirt, regardless of its nature, needs to be written across the sky.

[11cents]

16. Stephen Colbert better knew Congressman Gingrey

...and he came across as an amiable moron. Very very stupid.

But a Georgia peach!

[catgirl]

17. When is he up for re-election?

This WILL come back to haunt him.

[peaches2003]

19. I doubt that

This is Georgia where no matter how disgusting their Repug reps are the people follow like the sheeple they are.

Dear God, PLEASE let me wake up in the morning and no longer live here! Send me to Vermont, PLEASE!

[Oak2004]

45. The way to get to Vermont is (one way, anyway)

Wake up one morning, look out your window, and mutter to yourself "damn, it's still **** (fill in the location) out there". Sit down with your cup of coffee, thinking for the umpteenth morning, "oh God, I hate it here".

Then put down your coffee cup, stand up, walk over to the phone, and make a bunch of phone calls to the transportation industry of your choice to buy tickets to go to Vermont in a week or so to find an apartment. Make additional phone calls to give appropriate notice to landlords, income sources, etc.

Go back to your table, sit down, pick up your cup of coffee, and think to yourself (in a state of self-shock) "I can't believe I just did what I did".

It's a bit reckless, yes. But it worked for me :)

Vermont is not without its problems. It has a noxious good old boys network that does its best to protect its own. But bumping into the good old boys' network here beats banging one's head against unrepentant corruption and idiocy in the city I moved from.

That said, I don't think the American people, anywhere, are incapable of being reached. Some are, of course, but the Republican extremists depend very much on keeping most of the people who support them in the dark. If their supporters knew the truth, they would lose them (as they in fact have lost the support of very nearly every once-Republican leaning moderate). Gingry's remarks have probably lost him a few votes, though not enough by themselves to make a difference.

[peaches2003]

69. LOL

Our problem is not finding where we want to be. We spend a lot of time in Vt (relatives live there) and we have found the perfect spot for us in Middlebury. We would be there permanently now if we could work out 6 weeks after Christmas having a break from the winter. Two homes is what we need, but unfortunately I think that's out of the question.

Being seniors, everyone thinks we are nuts to even consider doing this! However, seeing that a number of Vt town meetings this week have passed 'Impeach Bush' resolutions, I know it is where we need to be.

[Shoelace]

80. Oregon is user friendly for Dems. Come for a visit or just move here

Now we have a Dem legislature (thanks Bush) and a Dem Gov. Get the F*** out of the South!!
Actually, was thinking that the whole South should think about succeeding from the US by virtue of their total disregard for human rights of any sort.

[BootinUp]

57. every 2 years...

[Rosa Luxemburg]

18. Rep Gingrey should resign his seat!

[Mad_Dem_X]

20. Oh, holy shit

These fucking people have no sense of morality what. so. ever.

Way to support the troops, Assholes!

[MasonJar]

21. Georgia DUers and citizens, can you get rid of this creep next time?

[MGKrebs]

43. We're gonna need a candidate to step forward.

How 'bout it Rome, GA? What you got?

[ulysses]

66. we had one step forward last time.

Seemed like a nice guy, but doomed. You ever been up to Rome? Two Bible colleges and not much else that I've seen.

[Donnachaidh]

67. we TRIED. Gingrey is the cockroach that keeps sticking

He's my Rep. If ever there was a goose-stepping, talking points spewing fascist, it's Gingrey. He's got his seat because he is totally funded by the medical corporations in my area.

And this guy is trained as a doctor -- do you believe his bullshit?

[tavalon]

81. They have Diebold, so, in a word, no.

[KamaAina]

22. Keith Olbermann, Worst Person in the World on line one.

:puke:

[wryter2000]

25. OMFG

Just when I think they can't get any lower. And they dumped all over Kerry for his botched joke. I hope the media play this 24/7.

[Turbineguy]

27. "Hey! We need a

Scumbag! Now, Who's gonna step up to the plate?"....."Thank you Mister Gingrey!"

[ulysses]

28. hey, my congressfool!

Maybe we'll have a better shot in 08.

[Janice325]

29. I think I'm gonna be sicker than when I just read this post.

Since I live in Georgia (at least a blue part), I decided to google this moran, as I wasn't familiar with him. He's a MD, has been a pro-life ob/gyn.I won't waste your time with the link to his congressional office, 'cause it'll probably make ya'll sicker and more pissed off, too.
What a mo fo asshole moran. :puke:
k&r

[Zambero]

30. Gingrey: Damn troops! We gave you all those yellow car magnets...

..and all those dead cockroaches, and this is how you show your gratitude, by blowing the whistle on the big guys when this squalid slum you live in was all your doing to begin with.

[BeliQueen]

31. Why I love DU...

Everytime I hear about one of these scumbags, I can send off a nice letter. Here's my letter to Gingrey:

Representative Gingrey:

I am sorely disappointed by your cavalier attitude towards the squalor that our wounded soldiers were subject to at the Walter Reed Medical facility.

To equate a wounded soldier sleeping in a pool of his own urine, and one breathing black mold to the conditions found in a 2-star hotel or an unkempt dorm room is outrageous.

These are not college kids having the time of their lives, or wayward travelers who couldn't secure decent bedding. These are OUR American wounded soldiers who have bled and suffered for the cause of our Constitution.

And no matter how I feel about this war, there is one thing that I am certain of--our soldiers deserve better. They deserve 5-star accommodations, and the best medical care this nation has to offer.

What they don't deserve is to hold any blame whatsoever for the condition of these facilities. That responsibility falls on your head, and the heads of all those in charge of making sure that our soldiers and veterans are treated with the utmost respect.

I sincerely hope that you will find it in your heart to apologize to our troops for your demeaning insults to their character.

Sincerely,

Belinda Bates

[Janice325]

33. That's a wonderful letter, BeliQueen.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[BeliQueen]

53. Thank you!

Long time lurker--infrequent poster LOL

It's so good to be here. It's like a mini-scif-fi convention every day. LOL

[nealmhughes]

79. Make it ConConCon and you've got a hat trick!

CONserervative
CONfidence Artist
CONvention

or ConCubed for the illuminati.

[frogcycle]

59. Excellent! n/t

[brentspeak]

32. He's the other idiot who diagnosed Terri Schiavo, without actually seeing her in person

Gingrey: "The tragedy of the situation is that with proper treatment, now denied, Terri's condition can improve."

[Madspirit]

34. Those sensitive Republicans

...and since when are patients responsible for cleaning up hospitals?
Lee

[sakabatou]

35. Who's blaming the troops now, huh?

[Cha]

36. Aren't the nurses suppose to take

away the food of the wounded? What is it? Self-help Walter Reed?

[chelsea0011]

37. Why do these people hate America?

[whistle]

40. RePuke shithead!

:mad:

[muntrv]

41. Comparing Walter Reed to a motel? What a retard!

[colorado_ufo]

42. Un-effin-believable.

Words cannot describe my revulsion at this man's comments.

[Red Poet]

44. Blaming the Victims

Just another case of the heartless right wing blaming the victims.

:mad:

[mile18blister]

46. This is beyond sick.

Food? Like the fresh meat of an amputated limb? One of the horror stories had a rat gnawing on the bandaged leg of one of these poor guys. And what's poison for cockroaches is probably poison for humans too. We treat cats and dogs far better than we treat our troops.
I can't take much more of this.

[diane in sf]

47. Whatta maroon!

[mac56]

48. This is great.

Let more of them come forward and say stuff exactly like this. Bring it.

"Supporting the troops," my ass.

[Norrin Radd]

49. Gingrey (Gangrene?) deserves to be raked over the coals for these comments.

Though I doubt it'll happen.

[NastyRiffraff]

50. He's an OB/GYN?

Would he tolerate a hospital he has privileges at that had conditions even close to Walter Reed's? If so, he should not only resign his seat, he should have his medical license taken away.

[rocktivity]

51. When you have proper food preparation and storage facilities

you don't HAVE to leave your food around.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Pryderi]

52. His "contact us" page: http://gingrey.house.gov/

[Vinca]

55. Gingrey must live like a pig if he thinks the conditions in Bldg. 18

are acceptable. To take the partisan track in this particular situation is not only stupid, it's immoral. And to blame the injured soldiers . . . I thought the mantra was "support the troops."

[BootinUp]

56. This is my fucking rep....

what an asshole.

Those wounded warriors are just too fuckin lazy, they should be willing to crawl on their belly to the trash cans an shit.

[tavalon]

82. Then you're saying you have no rep?

Certainly seems so.

[intheflow]

58. Nice.

:sarcasm:

[frogcycle]

60. Not to in any way excuse it

but many of the above respondents seem not to have the facts.

Building 18 is not the hospital proper. It is not hospital rooms; nurses don't visit there and take away food, etc.

It is a former private apartment building Walter Reed bought to provide residence for outpatients.

The hospital itself is apparently clean; there have been no publicized accusations of such conditions in patient rooms.

As I said, it is still inexcusable that they were "dumped" in this dump, but it is worthwhile to have the facts when deploring it. Misstatements can just lead to accusations of "overblowing" it.

[BootinUp]

63. Who should keep it clean etc

Do you agree with the suggestion by the congressman that the soldiers are to blame for the conditions?

[frogcycle]

70. of course not

they should be provided with top-quality quarters, with maid service. just because they have been released and are still on active duty, that does NOT mean treat them like regular active duty grunts - which seems to be what has been happening.

[BootinUp]

71. Thank you

I didn't think so.

[rocktivity]

65. It WAS an apartment building; it is SUPPOSED to be a outpatient residence

so it should be equipped at least as well as a nursing home--and should have been from the start.

There's no excuse for not providing the appropriate medical, maintenance, social and food services--especially not when mercenaries are earning ten times what the troops do, and multimillion-dollar performance bonuses are given to private contractors.

:headbang:
rocknation

[frogcycle]

72. agreed

I suspect that is precisely the problem, though. The bureaucracy at Walter Reed had two classes of patients - inpatients get treated one way, outpatients another. The outpatient standards probably presume you live in the area. So when some clown said "oh, lets buy that run-down old motel/apartment building across the street" nobody said "and lets assume responsibility for it". Kind of like not assuming responsibility for anything else in the past six years. This is exactly the sort of bureaucratic snafu that comes from an autocratic regime like this one. People are punished severely for not following strict party line, and they fall into a mode of just doing what they are told. Then you put incompetants in the leadership positions who don't have the sense to come in out of the rain, and shit like Katrina happens, and the trailers sitting now not being delivered to tornado victims.

Everyone who was aware of this is culpable. Nobody can get away with saying "it was not my job to report mice" or whatever. There is a moral obligation not to let shit like this stay. That, in a nutshell, is what we the people count on our government to do on our behalf, and on the fourth Estate to be our watchdog for. Every govt employee is supposed to be a "public servent." BUT, Guess what? They got rid of the govt employees and hired a contractor, who had already demonstrated they couldn't figure out how to deliver ice. They create so many levels of abstraction from the issue at hand - TAKING CARE OF THESE WOUNDED HEROES - that the buck just gets passed, and passed, and passed. Same shit that is still happening in Iraq, where they cannot get sanitary showers.

While I commend the WP for exposing this - "blowing the whistle" - at the same time, I ask where were they 6 months, or 2 years ago?

Bottom line is that teh responsibility for quality should be everyone,s and nobody should be able to say "not my fault."

Shit, I feel guilty as hell. I didn't know it was going on, but with all the publicity over this incompetent administration, it is no surprise. It tears me apart to think of these kids being treated this way, and me not fixing it. It feels like I forgot to pick up my kid from kindergarten or something. How any public official can feel any other way is beyond me. But every one who in any way tries to minimize it should be relieved of command immediately. Too bad its harder to do that with ciongressmen and presidents than it is with military officers.

[frogcycle]

61. "the problem isn't chipped paint" - press release on his website

he goes on about how as an MD he knows the real problem and basically says there should not be a building 18. Makes it out to be just that there is too much bureaucratic red tape - something he will morph into "those democrats and their "big government" are the problem", no doubt. Ends up saying he is glad congress is overseeing. Where the fuck was that oversight when HIS party was running congress?

here's a fact, butt-brain: six years is too long to sit on a problem and think you can blame your predecessor. And when the problem AROSE during those six years - not gonna work.

[frogcycle]

62. another opinion of the accommodations and treatment

http://monroe.xtn.net/index.php?table=news&template=news.view.subscriber&newsid=138261

doesn't mention the conditions, but says muggings of the residents are common.
nice.

[onehandle]

64. "Get up off those bleeding stumps and clean your room!"

Compassionate Conservatism at its best.

[BootinUp]

68. well framed. n/t

[Spiffarino]

74. Best response yet

Mega-sarcastic, but the point couldn't be more clear. Good on ya.

[onehandle]

77. Love your avatar.

Love Stephanie.

[Spiffarino]

84. Steph rocks!

:D:thumbsup:

[graywarrior]

73. Grrrr. Who keeps electing these scumbag skanks?

[tavalon]

83. Diebold

[Spiffarino]

75. Doctor Gingrey, in summation:

- Craven Apologist
- Champion of the Ruling Class
- Quack

[frogcycle]

76. and yet

the "base" for these people is the rednecks. go figure

[ScottytheRadical]

78. It's funny, I'm not the cleanest person, and I don't have cockroaches in my apartment...

The logic of these Republicans is infuriating. You don't "get cockroaches" in an apartment just from being a little messy - the BUILDING has to have them in the first place!! Maybe if *everyone* in the building was messy for oh, 5 years or so, that might be a problem. But him implying that individuals soldiers' cleanliness habits could be responsible for mice, cockroaches, etc. is silly. I live in an 80-year old 5-story red-brick apartment building with old wooden floors that hasn't been renovated - and there's no mice or cockroaches!!!

If a building does have those problems, it's because of POOR mantenience on the building. Not because of an individual tenant, a tenant can only attract cockroaches if the building already has an issue with them.

But I guess I shouldn't expect too much from Republican Congressmen. They've never actually had to live in lower-income apartments. Ever.

[dusmcj]

85. he's a cumb dunt. ntxt

[IWantAChange]

86. What's next? If the soldiers were only more careful they wouldn't get wounded?

Repukes are beyond belief.